The present disclosure relates generally to utilizing rubber recycled from vehicle tires. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to a protective barrier and a corresponding structure base.
Structure bases and structures such as light poles for use in parking lots and near roadways are known in the art. These structures and structure bases are typically made from concrete, metal, or some combination thereof. The structures and bases, although resilient and long-lasting, typically cause extensive damage to vehicles in even low-speed collisions.
The reported recycling rate of tires in 2012 was 44.6%. In recent years, many states have banned whole tires from entering landfills. In some of such states, the tires must be at least quartered prior to sending them to a landfill. Uses for old tires have been found to solve this problem including grinding up the rubber for use as mulch in playgrounds. Used tires numbering in the hundreds of millions per month in the United States must be processed and preferably at least partially recycled.
What is needed, therefore, is a protective barrier that is effective for at least low speed collisions and may optionally utilize recycled rubber from vehicle tires.